Breathless
by Faylian
Summary: '"Come to me, my little goddess. Join me in our dance to the death. Let us finish what we've begun." The princess glowered, taking up a battle stance. "Gladly."' — During Ganondorf's raid at Hyrule Field, Ghirahim is tasked with stopping Princess Zelda from reaching their base. But things take an unexpected turn when she reminds him of the goddess Hylia. Ghirahim/Zelda.
1. Chapter 1

Shouts and cries echoed all across the fields of Hyrule. The conflict that would determine the fate of the beautiful land continued to wage on. Gray clouds blocked the sun, making the sky and atmosphere neither bright nor too ominous, as if it was waiting to decide after the battle's conclusion.

Taking safety in a fortress, Princess Zelda was tending to the more serious wounds on her attendant and army's general, Impa. She wiped the sweat off her brow, knowing the odds were not in her favor so far. Already one of their strongest warriors was unable to continue.

"Oh Impa, I'm so sorry you got hurt like that," she said.

"Ah, Princess Zelda, don't feel guilty for me. I was foolish for underestimating Ganondorf's brutal strength," the sheikah replied.

"Even so..."

The two were interrupted when one of their captains entered the fort, beaten and out of breath. "Princess! Word has spread that Link is advancing to the enemy's base."

Zelda gave a nod in acknowledgement. "Good. I shall join him. With the power of our Triforces, the enemy will stand no chance." The captain nodded in return, before leaving to join the rest of the soldiers in battle.

"Princess, allow me to guard you on the way..." Impa offered. She made a move to stand, when she suddenly clutched her side, groaning in pain.

"No, Impa. The injuries Ganondorf dealt on you are too great for you to go on the battlefield. You need to rest. Don't worry about me," Zelda smiled at her general, "I'll be all right."

Impa was still for a moment, and then finally lowered her head. "As you wish. But please, be careful..."

"I will," Zelda reassured. Deciding to waste no more time, she turned and began her track to the enemy base.

Far from where the princess was, the demon king Ganondorf made his way to a keep, currently inhabited by the Hyrulean army. He struck down another hylian captain when he sensed his servant Ghirahim by his side.

The demon lord sighed. "Apparently, according to a lizalfos, the hero and princess are separately making their way to our base," he informed, not even bothering to look as he thrust his blade into a hylian soldier's chest.

"Meddling pests," said Ganondorf. "But how convenient. They're saving me the trouble of going after them myself."

His other servant, Zant, appeared before him. "My king, to further your convenience, I shall go after the boy. The child will be brought to his knees in mere minutes," he said.

"Very well, but do not kill him. Just keep him from reaching the base. He's needed alive to obtain the full Triforce, after all. Once I've finished business here, I will personally deal with the hero..." Ganondorf declared.

"Yes, my lord." Zant bowed respectively, before disappearing.

Quickly cutting down another hylian soldier, Ghirahim turned to the gerudo tyrant. "Lord Ganondorf, allow me to deal with the princess. She will not escape me."

"Hmph, fine then. Go," the dark king ordered. "You are free to kill her only after the Triforce of Wisdom is taken from her. But don't underestimate her."

"Of course." Giving a quick bow, the demon lord commenced his pursuit for the princess.

Zelda ran as fast as she could, ignoring any monsters that sought to duel her. Instead she focused on the objective of her mission. If successful, she and her people would obtain victory.

Lord Ghirahim stood on a high branch of a tree, searching around for the hylian princess. He had never laid eyes on her before, but he knew there was only one maiden that wore a crown on her head.

The demon tensed as he felt a strong aura of holy power. He looked straight ahead of him, seeing the young leader of the Hyruleans as she sprinted toward his direction. He leapt off his spot on the tree and landed in her path.

Zelda halted in her tracks, holding out her sword defensively at the sight of the enemy. _Judging by Link's descriptions of him, he must be Ghirahim, one of Ganondorf's main followers... _she thought to herself.

Ghirahim gave her a smirk and opened his mouth to speak, when he caught sight of her face. He blinked once, twice, three times.

_This can't be... Hylia?_

He stared on, shocked. From her golden hair, deep blue eyes, and fair skin, the young woman resembled the deity that had sealed away his former master almost perfectly.

The demon narrowed his eyes. _What is this, a divine prank?_ He tightly gripped the handle of his sword as he held it up in an offensive stance, with the princess copying his movements.

"Out of my way, Demon Lord. I will not be stopped by the likes of you!" she ordered.

Ghirahim smirked, though his dark glare never left. "I'm afraid whatever plan you had ends here, girl."

Princess Zelda let out a short, frustrated huff. "So be it," she said, raising the point of her sword at the demon in front of her, "Since you give me no choice, I will fight you myself!"

Ghirahim's grin widened. His fingers twitched in anticipation, itching for a good fight. "Don't disappoint me now..."

He expected the woman would dash right to him. So he was surprised when she instead took out her bow and drew back the string, an arrow of light forming from her fingertips, and fired.

Ghirahim let out a shout as the holy arrow struck him. Its power threw him back a small distance before he managed to land safely on his feet. He didn't need to pull it out as the magic weapon disappeared on its own. The demon lord snarled. Nothing hurt him more than holy light.

Zelda charged at him, wanting to end the fight as soon as possible. She leapt in the air and swung her blade over his head, only for it to be met by his own sword to block her. Landing on the ground, she brought her sword back and swung again, dismayed when it was blocked a second time. Planning carefully, she backed off, waiting for the demon to make his move.

With a snap of his fingers, Ghirahim summoned several daggers and launched them toward her. With incredible agility she avoided most of them, while whacking away the ones she couldn't dodge. Zelda ran up to him once again and slashed upwards, pleased when she finally managed to damage him.

Suddenly her arm was grabbed, and her breath was knocked out of her when she was harshly kicked in her abdomen. With all of her strength she freed her arm from his grasp, only to receive a painful slash on her shoulder.

Ghirahim licked his lips, enjoying the sight of her blood flowing, before he brought his blade up and stabbed downward, aiming for her chest. His eyes widened when she became a blur, and his dark weapon impaled the grass below him instead.

His body burned in agony when the royal girl stabbed him through his back, the blade infused by her divine light. He reached behind and yanked the sword out of him, growling while he tried to ignore the pain. Before she could strike again, he teleported to a safer distance.

While slightly annoyed, Ghirahim was rather pleased at how much of a worthy opponent the princess was.

And the longer they had fought, the more he was reminded of Hylia.

He couldn't understand it. He hated the goddess; he always had, ever since she sealed Demise away. Yet here he was, almost entranced by her grace and beauty. It drove him _mad_. He wanted to hate her even more because of it.

Princess Zelda was suddenly aware that, during their fight, they had wandered far away from the battle at Hyrule Castle. All that surrounded them now was an open field, with a damaged and abandoned stone structure nearby.

"Was this your plan, Ghirahim? To lure me away from the battlefield?" asked Zelda.

"Planned? Hardly," the demon lord answered, tapping his fingers against his blade as his eyes roamed across the area. "But the quiet is a pleasant change, is it not? And look, no distractions," he gestured with a leer.

"Then this will be where our battle ends!" the princess declared, summoning her holy light into her blade as she readied her attack.

But it never came. Before she knew it, Ghirahim was in front of her in an instant. Zelda barely had time to react when he swung his sword with incredible force. She managed to block his sharp blade from touching her, but the strength behind his attack caused her to fly through the air, and crash through the abandoned building.

The princess grunted when she fell on her back. She hurriedly got on her feet, only to fall on her hands and knees, her body quaking from the pressure. The recent battles had fatigued her, and her muscles practically begged for rest.

Sensing her opponent before seeing him, she forced herself to stand. But he proved himself too fast for her. In a swift motion, Ghirahim grabbed her wrists in one hand, and her neck in the other. He pushed her to the wall and pinned her up against it, his towering form looming over her smaller one.

From this closer view, Ghirahim could see several strands of her hair loose, and black circles forming under her eyes. The war had clearly exhausted her considerably.

_If she hadn't been so worn, she could have gained the upper hand on me, _he noted. _Typical humans, tiring so easily..._

Zelda desperately tried to squirm out of his grip, but the demon proved himself stronger than he looked. Desperate, she clung onto the handle of her sword, her only hope of making out of this alive. "Release me this instant, demon! Fight me with honor, not cowardice!"

"Calm yourself, girl. As you can see, there's no blade jutting out of your flesh. Not yet," Ghirahim told her, amused. "Now, indulge me by answering me something, would you?"

Tired from her struggling, she looked up at him with a scowl. "What is it?"

Her captor stared at her eyes, knowing them from another era. "I really should have known the little goddess would have royal descendants. That surprises me no longer. However..." The girl winced as he squeezed her wrists harder, "What eludes me, is why her soul persists to reincarnate. Why are you so adamant to continue walking in these lands?"

The princess grunted, attempting to pry her wrists from his hand, but with no such luck. "I don't know what...you're talking about."

Ghirahim 'hmmed' curiously. "Don't you? If that's so, then your memories of that past are locked away once again..."

With his tight restraint on her wrists cutting off blood circulation, Zelda's fingers went completely numb. She helplessly watched as they lost their grip on the sword, her face paling to the loud clank of her weapon hitting the ground.

Her chances of survival just drastically decreased.

After a shuddered inhale of breath, she screamed at him, "You will not win this war, Ghirahim! Even if I were to die, my comrades will—!"

She choked as Ghirahim tightened his grip on her throat, cutting her off. She resumed her struggle, however weakly this time.

"Spare me the threats. Your confidence is misplaced. It's rather sad. Be reasonable, girl. You and your people stand no chance." His hold on her neck lessened, allowing her to breathe easier. "If you surrendered now, I am sure Ganondorf would spare you. Wouldn't that be a wiser decision?"

The royal warrior shook her head violently. "No, I don't believe you. Ganondorf would not spare me, or my people. Even if he did, we'd only be slaves, wishing for death. I would rather die fighting to protect my people than to just give up. All that matters to me is protecting my kingdom from you and your horrible king."

His smile gave her goosebumps. "Well...how determined. You're quite the fascinating creature, aren't you?"

Zelda gnashed her teeth together in anxiousness. _This is taking too long. I must hurry to the enemy's base, now._

To catch him off guard, the princess raised her leg to knee him, hoping to hit any part of him. To her dismay however, Ghirahim avoided it with ease, lurching his torso away while keeping his hold on her against the wall. "Nah, ah," he chided playfully.

Before she could make another move, Ghirahim leaned his whole body up against her, chest against chest, his hips between her thighs, their noses barely apart.

Zelda couldn't stop the heat rising in her cheeks. He laughed, to which she gave him a hateful glare, while the red on her face deepened its shade.

"My, my! Such a feisty version of you, little Hylia. It's much more fun."

She hated the close proximity, hated his smug posture, and absolutely loathed the blush that refused to go away. But she couldn't help it. Never had anyone been this physically close to her. She could feel his breath hitting her face, and smell a strange, metallic scent from it. Her stomach churned. _Blood? _she wondered. She wouldn't doubt it.

The young woman froze when the demon leaned his face closer, shivering as his lips came to her ear.

"Poor thing. Fate really is quite cruel to you. You think you are protected by the goddesses' light, when in reality you were abandoned by it. You will soon come to realize this, when all that you cherish is forever destroyed."

"Shut up..." she retorted curtly, too angered by his words to care about formality. She knew it was a lie. The Triforce of Wisdom gifted to her was proof enough.

His breath tickled her skin as he released a chuckle. Moving his hand away from her neck, he cupped the maiden's chin and lifted her head up, exposing her throat to him. Her body shuddered as she felt his nose brush under her jaw line, breathing in her scent. Then Zelda flinched, gasping at the hot wetness of his tongue sliding across her neck.

The female warrior could only stand there, mouth agape, shocked that he would make such a bold, vile move. She wanted to scream at him, curse him out for daring to molest her like that. Yet no coherent thought came to her mind. Her voice refused to make a sound. She became even more aware of his body being pressed against hers. The blush on her cheeks quickly spread, covering her entire face, ears and neck.

Zelda squeezed her eyes shut. She had never felt so disgusted in her entire life.

Giving her a light nip on where he tasted her skin, Ghirahim let out a satisfied hiss as he pulled away. He watched as the young warrior reopened her eyes to give him the most hatred-filled glare she could muster.

He loved the way she reacted to him, loved how he was the one to make her so uncomfortable. He couldn't get enough of it.

The demon lord ran his tongue over his lips, noticing her eyes following the appendage, and grinned. "To kill you would be a great benefit to us. And yet, I find myself loathe to do it so soon."

Suddenly, he relinquished his hold on her. And then, before she could comprehend her unexpected freedom, Ghirahim pulled back his arm and swiftly struck her head with his fist.

Princess Zelda took a sharp intake of air as the back of her head collided with the stone wall behind her. Spots filled her eyesight, and she barely registered the impact of hitting the cold, hard ground. She let out a quiet whimper when she felt the blunt end of his gloved finger run across from her chin, to the tip of her ear.

"Don't think of this as an act of mercy, dear princess. Death would only spare you from watching your kingdom crumble and burn."

Darkness crept from the edges of her vision as she felt the demon grasp her bruised wrist, along with the warm, comforting sensation that glowed from the back of her hand. Her eyes slowly drifted shut, too tired to keep them open any longer.

"Besides, you have something that belongs to my current master."

* * *

"Princess! Princess Zelda! Please, wake up! Please!"

The maiden groaned, her head throbbing from the loud noise. Her eyes fluttering open, she realized she still lay on the stone floor. Shakily, she pushed herself onto her knees. She rested her back against the wall, her strength having yet to return. Her vision still blurred as she rubbed the back of her head, feeling a small bump forming.

"Are you okay, Princess Zelda?"

Letting out a moan of pain, she turned to where the voice came from, and could make out a young face with unique blue hair.

"Lana...?"

"Thank goodness!" the sorceress breathed, smiling in relief. "I was so worried you were really hurt. Seems the most damage you've gotten was cuts and bruises. Especially the bruise on your forehead..."

"Lana, what's happened? How long have I been lying here?" Zelda asked. With her regained senses, there came building anxiety.

"Well," Lana began, "all I know is that you were fighting Ghirahim. Then at some point he must have knocked you out. I'm honestly surprised he let you live."

_So am I... _the princess thought, furiously wiping off any trace of him from where he had licked her. Lana gave her a questioning look, but made no comment.

"What of the battle's outcome? Were we victorious?" Zelda inquired.

The witch grimaced, hesitating on what to say. "Well, the good news is that Ganondorf disappeared. The bad news however... Not only did he leave behind a bunch of monsters at the castle, but he now has the full Triforce."

Princess Zelda's chest tightened at those words. She slowly shook her head. "No... The plan failed. We were, in the end, powerless." She brought her hands close, one overlaying the other self-consciously, unable to feel the familiar tingling of the Triforce of Wisdom on her right hand.

"My...my Triforce..." she whispered.

Lana frowned, "Ganondorf must have taken it from you while you were unconscious."

Lowering her head, Zelda rubbed her sore throat. _That, or Ghirahim took it and gave it to him. Regardless..._ Clenching her hand, she rose up to her feet, having aid from her friend for balance. "I see... Since Ganondorf has vanished, we must take this rare moment of opportunity and use it to our advantage."

The young sorceress nodded. "Right, I'll teleport us out of the field, away from all these monsters. The others are waiting for us."

"Ah, our friends! Did everyone make it out all right?" the princess questioned, with the last shred of hope lingering in her heart.

With a reassuring smile, Lana said, "Yeah, they're all there, and they're worried sick about you. Especially Impa and Link. Poor guy. Ganondorf beat him up pretty bad. He's fine now, but he was more concerned for you than himself." The girl let out a soft laugh.

Zelda returned her own smile. Reaching down, she reclaimed her forgotten sword. "Then let us waste no more time here. We need to think of another strategy, and fast."

Lana couldn't agree more as she summoned the spell to teleport them away from the once safe Hyrule Castle.

_Demon Lord Ghirahim, no matter what it takes, I will personally use my light to destroy your vileness. You and your king... _swore the warrior princess.


	2. Chapter 2

On the edge of the enemy territory, several tents were laid out far along the border of Gerudo Desert. It was only in the day's early morning that the beloved Hyrule Castle was invaded. Knowing their brothers were exhausted and hurt from their recent battle, the gorons offered to fight alongside the hylians. Now in the mid afternoon, the goron and hylian armies prepared themselves for a second battle.

In the largest tent sat Zelda, quietly mulling over her battle strategies to defeat Ghirahim and Zant, and take over the enemy base.

Ganondorf had, for whatever reason, disappeared shortly after his mission was accomplished. Lana, being the active person that she was, had already gone to the desert—joined by some hylian soldiers—just after she teleported Princess Zelda back to safety. While there, the sorceress sent her confirmation that the usurper king and demon lord were left in charge of the fortress.

Zelda, more determined than ever, refused to wait and commanded the rest of her army to travel to the demon king's main base. If they could take Ghirahim and Zant out, they would stand more of a chance against Ganondorf.

However, the princess began to worry. Lana promised she would try to find a weakness in their enemy's territory, and report back as soon as she discovered one. Yet no word came from her since she left. Zelda knew Lana couldn't handle hundreds of monsters on her own. What if she had encountered Zant or Ghirahim along the way?

_Ghirahim._

Zelda gritted her teeth together, livid at the memories of their encounter. He had made her feel like a fool—a helpless princess in need of rescue. Her composure would surely be lost if she found him again. Not from fear, but from anger.

"Princess Zelda?" She glanced over her shoulder to see Impa standing near the entryway. Her arm was wrapped in a cast, with other bandages around her many wounds. "On your orders, the soldiers are ready to invade the enemy's fortress."

The princess stood and walked to the sheikah, passing her as she said, "Good. We make for the enemy base now. Waiting any longer could be disastrous. Let's not make Lana wait anymore than she has to."

"Understood, Your Highness. I will...wait here." Impa replied, looking down at the dirt she stood on.

"I'm sorry, Impa. I know staying here must be hard for you," said Zelda softly.

"No need to apologize, Your Majesty. These wounds of mine still need time to heal, and the desert's heat would only make my condition worse," the royalty's guardian pointed out. "I understand, and am happy to hear how much you care."

"Of course I care. Now please, take your time and rest." Zelda gave her one last smile, before leaving to join her battle-ready army.

"I will. Thank you..." uttered the worn general.

As the princess walked to meet with her army, her eyes caught Link when he stepped out of his own tent. The maiden smiled at him, pleased to see him in good condition once again. Her face faltered however, when she noticed the questioning look he gave her. His expression was one of concern.

Zelda quickly turned her gaze away. The hero's perception for others' feelings certainly made up for his lack of words, always seeming to have a great sense of empathy, a side of him she admired.

She knew he could tell she was troubled, but she daren't admit it.

"I'm happy you're doing much better, Link. As much as I want for you to rest longer, and I'm sorry to ask, but will you be able to lend everyone your strength for this battle?" asked the princess.

He nodded without a word.

* * *

"Honestly, such a drab place to reside in. Certainly unfitting for one of my status," the demon lord said with a sigh, flipping and twirling a dagger in a bored manner.

"Perhaps... But it is our god's desire for us to stay and guard here. To go against his orders is treachery, which he will not stand for, as well as I."

"I'm well aware of that, _Zant_. I am merely saying that my tolerance for this heat and sand is beginning to expire," Ghirahim replied to the usurper king, irritation evident in his voice. Snarling, he sent the dagger to dig into the wall in front of him. Now more than ever he was grateful he wasn't human, for he wouldn't be able to stand his skin being covered in sweat.

"By the way," Zant started, "I am curious as to how you managed to defeat the princess all on your own. Wasn't she challenging at all?"

A grin edged its way on the demon lord's face at the mention of the hylian woman. "Of course. She is one of Hyrule's greatest warriors, after all."

"'Is'? You mean you let her live?" Zant questioned, perplexed as to why the demon would spare the life their enemies' ruler.

"I felt no desire to break my new toy so soon. You understand, yes?" his companion casually responded.

"Hmmm, you don't normally go around sparing foes you come across..." Zant, ever so suddenly, let out a high-pitched cackle. "She must have really given one hell of a fight for you to find interesting, huh!"

Ghirahim chuckled mischievously, carefully running a finger across the edge of a dagger. "Ah, yes. She was certainly a fun playmate."

_One I hope to play with again soon._

* * *

"Princess, Link's found out Ghirahim is somewhere in the south of the desert. Wanna join us?" offered Link's companion, Proxi.

Zelda swiped the sweat off her forehead, finding difficulty to breathe properly. She and her army hadn't expected the intensity of the desert's heat. Many were already losing their stamina, including the princess. They had to find the two servants of Ganondorf quickly to stand much of a chance.

"Yes, I'll come with you, and we must be swift. Lana is still waiting for our help."

"Okay, let's go!" Proxi exclaimed as the young knight ran ahead, with Zelda following close behind.

By Proxi's suggestion, the two warriors decided to search the nearby keeps. The South Oasis had been their second keep to locate, and to their luck, it didn't take long to find whom they sought for. Many goron troops rushed to defeat the strong enemy, but were easily felled by the demon lord's blade.

"Hey, there he is!" the energetic fairy shouted from Link's shoulder, "Hey Ghirahim! How about a rematch with Link? Or are you too scared to, since he kicked your butt last time!"

Hearing his name, Ghirahim switched his attention to the young hero. He looked at him for only a second before his eyes rested on Zelda, her own eyes shining with fury. He smirked, just before turning and sprinting away.

"Hey! Come back here, you coward!" Proxi yelled to the fleeing enemy.

Zelda's glare became more fierce. _I refuse to be bested this time. And I will make sure he doesn't escape._

"Link, go find and help Lana. I will finish off Ghirahim," she ordered the hero, before running off.

"Be careful, Princess!" she heard Proxi yell.

Everything around her was a blur as she chased down the demon she abhorred. In the back of her mind, she thought it strange, why Ghirahim would suddenly flee from battle. He was a proud and confident creature.

_What in the world could he be planning? _she wondered.

Only when she entered Arbiter's keep did she finally catch up with her foe. He stood completely still with his back to her, seemingly unaware of her presence.

The princess wasted no time as she charged toward him and leaped. She slashed his back, and he fell without a sound, his body disappearing with a poof of purple smoke. Zelda blankly stared, disbelieving the demon lord had been killed so easily.

"How..." she breathed.

The sound of a finger snap echoed around the room, followed by gates slamming closed from all four entrances, blocking her in. Chills ran down the princess' spine, and she turned around.

There stood Ghirahim, one hand on his hip while the other casually stroked his hair. The smug grin on his face told her he predicted this outcome. "How wonderful it is to see you again, dear princess," he spoke in a cheerful tone.

Zelda's expression hardened, her body instinctively tense and ready for combat. "What happened earlier? I struck you down, yet you're fine."

The demon burst with laughter. "Struck me down, she says! To think you would allow yourself to be tricked by such an obvious fake. You're such a delightfully silly girl!"

Zelda nervously bit her lip. _So this is what the strange behavior was all about. It was a trap all along... _She grimaced, ashamed and apprehensive about her predicament. And now she knew he wanted their battle to be private, just like before.

"I believe it's time to continue from where we left off last time."

Zelda watched in fascination as Ghirahim covered himself with dark magic in the form of diamonds. His pale skin began to peel away, revealing a second, diamond-hard layer of dark skin from underneath. When the black magic uncovered him, the princess was met with the demon lord's true form.

_That's right... He's also a living sword. I nearly forgot._

"Like what you see?" he teased, his voice having a strange metallic echo to it. Zelda chose not to grace him with an answer.

Ghirahim took a brief moment to admire himself, before focusing on the maiden again. He couldn't use this form for long, but he'd make sure to use the most of it with the time he had. He reached out a metallic hand to her, as though requesting for her to grab it. "Come to me, my little goddess. Join me in our dance to the death. Let us finish what we've begun."

The princess glowered, taking up a battle stance. "Gladly."

* * *

Link panted tiredly as Zant fell to the ground, defeated by his blade.

"All right! Now that Zant's down, the gates blocking Lana should be opened now!" exclaimed Proxi.

After drinking a potion to soothe his dry throat, Link hurried to Lana, hoping she was managing well enough. Three hours of fighting was bound to overwhelm her.

"You know, we haven't heard from the princess in a long time. I hope she's okay..." said the small fairy.

The young man frowned, worried as well. He knew from experience how difficult a foe Ghirahim was. Yet the way Ghirahim suddenly fled from them was very odd to him.

"Wait a minute. Wasn't it Ghirahim that defeated her back at Hyrule Field?" Proxi asked.

Link skidded his feet across the sand to a stop, bringing a halt to his mission. He looked to where he last saw Princess Zelda chasing down the demon lord. His heartbeat sped up, and his face paled.

"Oh no, it was, wasn't it..." he heard his companion mutter.

Realizing Ghirahim had beaten her once before, Link knew her chances of making it out alive were low. It wasn't that he hadn't any confidence in her skills and power, but the demon proved how conniving and deadly he was several times. Link admitted to himself that even he had trouble with him. Without the portal in the Sealed Temple that Ghirahim was knocked back into, he wasn't sure if he would have come out as the victor.

He should never have left Zelda to fight him by herself.

"What should we do, Link? Should we go back for Princess Zelda?"

The hero turned his head to Lana's location, then back to Zelda's. He fidgeted, unsure of what to do. Reports from soldiers mentioned the sorceress' weakened state from the desert's heat and difficulty fighting off several hordes of monsters. Without help, there was a chance she could die.

Yet Princess Zelda was alone, battling one of their deadliest enemies. No one currently knew of her situation, or even where she was. And if Hyrule's princess were to fall, he had no doubt their forces would instantly lose this war.

Link rubbed his face, wiping sweat off his skin as he tried to come to a decision. Knowing their fate relied on his choice, the pressure began to wear on his mind.

"Hey, tell you what," the fairy offered, "Why don't we quickly go and help out Lana first? Then after that, she can help us find the princess! Sound good to you?"

The knight nodded, thinking the plan would work well. He resumed his travel to Lana's location, hoping Zelda could manage on her own against Ghirahim, even if for a few more minutes.

* * *

Zelda forced herself off her knees, her legs wobbling as she watched Ghirahim revert back to his previous form. Several cuts and shallow gashes covered her body. The sight of her blood running across her skin pleased the demon's eyes.

However, Ghirahim wasn't without his own share of wounds. The most his transformation benefited him was the strong defense against her holy blade, and even then she managed to harm him a fair amount.

"I've been careful not to permanently damage you, and even go so far as to be gentle with you," the dark warrior said, "but now you're beginning to push me a tad too far, little girl."

Zelda scrunched up her face at him. "Don't call me 'little girl.'"

"Oh...my _apologies_," Ghirahim hissed as the last of his skin reattached onto him.

An image of Hylia suddenly flashed in his head. Not as a goddess, no, but in her mortal form. The little girl his mind obsessed over for several millennia with plans of capture.

Her eyes. He couldn't get over her eyes.

Constantly in his thoughts, never giving him rest.

_Hylia... Hylia... Hylia...! HYLIA!_

Whatever restraint he had was finally lost.

Zelda gasped as the demon unexpectedly charged at her with great speed, just barely able to hold up her rapier in time to block his own.

The princess' face paled at the sight of his eyes. Something had changed in them. They were darker, almost wild.

_I don't like this. Something's wrong..._

Even in his clouded mind, Ghirahim knew he had changed. A new dark emotion for the holy deity became overwhelming, and his composure faltered. Hatred, fascination, and admiration boiled together into a strong obsession. He now became a demon that had very little control over his senses, preventing rational thought.

But at the moment, he didn't care. All he was concerned about was the human female.

"You're mine, girl..."

He slammed his knee into her stomach, causing Zelda to cough as her breath was knocked out of her. Sensing her momentary distraction from the pain, Ghirahim slipped his ankle behind hers and pulled back. The young woman yelped as she lost her balance and hit the stone floor. Before she could lift herself up, Ghirahim was already on top of her. In one fluid motion, he raised his fist and punched her chest brutally hard.

Zelda's mouth hung open, trying to scream but with no air left in her lungs. She prayed the crack she heard was only her ears deceiving her. Almost automatically, her arm shot up to stab the demon sitting on her. Her desperate effort was proven futile when he caught the blade in his hand, the sharp tip only an inch away from his face. Her fingers loosened their grip on the handle, as if her body alone made the decision to give up. He easily yanked it away from her and tossed it to the side.

With the last of her strength abandoning her, Zelda could only lay there as Ghirahim reached down and wrapped his fingers around her neck, making sure she couldn't get back up without choking her. "Submit to me..." he growled.

Her response was a spit to his face.

Almost casually he swiped the saliva off his cheek. The princess was about to tell him off when he suddenly grabbed her left wrist and bent it back _hard_.

This time Zelda had the breath to scream, and scream she did. The mix of pain and panic made her thrash wildly. She desperately tried to yank her arm away, but his grip held firm. The girl continued to scream as her mind was going into shock. She's had her experiences with broken bones before, but the sight of the demon lord calmly twisting her wrist unnaturally caused her to hyperventilate.

Her scream was cut off when the hand on her throat lifted her upwards, before slamming her back to the hard floor, effectively stopping her screams and thrashes. Darkness crept on the edges of her vision, but she willed herself to stay conscious. Her heart beat violently in her chest, tears forming in the corners of her eyes, but she made no other movements. Her body had been pushed to its limit, and it had enough.

"I won't let you ruin this world," she whispered, "Even if you kill me now, I'll find a way back. I'll do whatever it takes, even if it means my soul were to be tainted."

Ghirahim gave her a toothy smile. "Such valor..." he said, before he leaned down and smashed his mouth on hers.

Zelda let out a muffled squeal of surprise and pain as his teeth sunk deep into her lips. Her mind refused to work properly as she began to panic. She struggled hard, pushed at his chest with her unbroken hand, but Ghirahim held her strongly against him, preventing her from moving away.

_No, no! Goddesses, please make this stop!_

To her, this was no kiss, but an ugly imitation of one.

The demon growled as her blood ran down his tongue. This, this is what he wanted. He longed for her blood, her cries only for his ears. Caught up in the passion, he lifted her up from the floor and raked his nails over her bare back and shoulders through his gloved hands, wanting more.

The holy warrior breathed through her nose, trying to keep herself from hyperventilating again. Looking over to her right, she could see her rapier lay close. Slipping her arm from between them, she strained to reach for her weapon. Yet seeing the small gap between her and it had her hopes hammered down once again. If only she could get closer; it was just barely within reach.

The young woman let out another muffled yelp when Ghirahim pushed her back down by her shoulders. He grabbed her arms and constrained them from moving as he continued his hungry assault on her wounded lips.

Zelda was on the verge of crying, frustrated and terrified of how things came to be. She had become brash, vengeful, hateful, and her unwise actions finally became apparent to her. She regretted her foolishness, and belittled herself for it.

She let out a soft, relieved cry when she felt his teeth leave her flesh, feeling a lone tear escape from her watery eyes as he did so. In a trance-like state, Ghirahim gave long licks over her bloodied lips, enjoying her unique taste. To give her a shock, he ran his tongue along the edge of her ear, a little disappointed when all he heard was a shuddered inhale of breath. With the madness beginning to subside, he sat up and hovered over her lithe body, proud to see the condition he put her in. He saw her eyes shut, chest shuddering as she breathed heavily.

"Whatever could be the matter, sweet? Do you not enjoy the attention I give unto you?" he asked the unfortunate girl, stroking a thumb gently over her cheek as to mock.

"Why..." the princess whispered, "Why me? Why do you focus so much on me?"

"Because, lovely little Hylia..." He lowered himself over her face and brushed his bloodstained lips across hers, smearing the red fluid on them, not quite kissing. "The fun you bring is far too addicting for me to leave you alone," he answered, keeping his lips on hers.

Zelda moaned in despair at the intimate touch. Then she opened her eyes, looking at his black ones as she said, "Allow me to return to you my own 'fun.'"

Ghirahim's eyes flashed with amusement and mischief, before widening as he felt the painful sharpness of metal dig into his waist. He jerked upward when his sight landed on the intruding blade, which he took hold to prevent from sliding further in. He snarled savagely in anger, realizing the girl had somehow reclaimed her sword without his notice.

"I won't let you outmatch me this time, Ghirahim! You'll pay for all the hardships you've put my kingdom and friends through!" the princess shouted determinedly.

With pure rage giving him strength, the demon managed to pull out the intruding weapon, ignoring its edges cutting his hand. "You...! How dare—!"

The two warriors were startled by a loud bang behind them. Ghirahim turned, his glare intensifying when he saw Hyrule's hero had broken through one of the gates, sword in hand and ready to fight.

"Well now! I had begun to think you wouldn't arrive," said the demon lord. "Although you are indeed fashionably late, I would have appreciated it if you had shown a little later..."

Another loud bang, and Ghirahim was flown off from Zelda almost instantly.

"If anyone's "fashionably" late, it's you!" Lana stepped in through the large hole she had created in the wall. "You should have been sent back to your own era days ago."

"Ah... You again!" The demon lord growled out, clutching at his side while struggling to stand after the sorceress' powerful blast.

With a mutter of words and precise waves of fingers, Lana conjured a portal on the wall behind him. "This time you won't get to run away, Ghirahim! You're going back to where you belong!"

Ghirahim eyed the portal, knowing he may never return once sent through. On one hand, he could go back to serving his true master, Demise. Yet on the other, he found himself equally content with serving Ganondorf, sensing the man was a new "Demise." Even as a loyal demon, he was unsure to whom his loyalty lay more with.

"I'll send you there myself!"

Too late to react, the demon lord's chest was run through by the princess' sword. She stood in front of him, tired but strong, with her left arm hanging at her side with her crooked wrist. She looked up at him. "I told you I wouldn't let you harm my people," she said.

A pained grunt escaped Ghirahim, unable to respond properly. He was baffled, wondering how she could have possibly recovered and approached him so quickly without his notice.

With a boot to his torso, she ruthlessly shoved the demon away, effectively freeing her sword from him. Ghirahim stumbled back, the simple movement sealing his fate. The gravitational pull from the portal began to drag him toward it. Quickly summoning his sword back into his hand, Ghirahim planted the blade into the ground and crouched down, hanging onto its handle. While it was preventing him from nearing it any closer, his wound from the princess made him weak, and caused his grip to loosen gradually. He knew at this point he was delaying the inevitable.

But he refused to leave alone.

Taking a risk, he let go of the rapier with one hand and snapped his fingers, causing a small red glow to appear over his chest. With the reach of his arm, he aimed the light to travel across the room and hit the princess, successfully connecting the two.

Zelda let out a gasp at the strange magic. She tried to grab and pry it off, but her hand went right through the red string. "What are you doing?!" she demanded.

Ghirahim gave no answer, instead making another gesture with his arm. Zelda felt the sudden pull from the string, and was horrified to feel she was being dragged right to the demon.

"No! Stop this, Ghirahim! You've already lost! Let me go!" she desperately shouted. She felt Lana grab her to prevent her from moving, but the pull of the dark magic was too strong for them.

Knowing she had to act quickly, Zelda summoned her bow and arrow of light, forcing herself to ignore the excruciating pain from her broken wrist. She aimed at the wound on the demon lord's chest, and sent the arrow straight through it.

"Princess, no!" Lana cried.

A startled grunt passed Ghirahim's lips, his grasp on the sword finally lost, and was sent flying into the portal.

Zelda screamed as she was yanked away from Lana and flown towards the portal, unwillingly following the demon. Just before she could be sent through however, another pair of arms latched onto her. Hearing the head next to hers groan from the pressure, she knew it was Link who had saved her. With some difficulty, he swung the Master Sword in front of them, through the red string. The Blade of Evil's Bane proved its power as it severed the magic, dissipating it in an instant. With it gone, the princess was free from Ghirahim at last.

From Lana's command the portal disappeared, giving the warriors a moment of rest.

"Thank you, Link. Thank you..." Zelda shakily breathed out. Link smiled tiredly in return, resting his chin on her shoulder.

* * *

He wasn't sure how much time he traveled through, but he sensed it wouldn't be much longer before he reached his destination.

Even though he had lost, Ghirahim still wore a grin on his face. He may have indeed failed Ganondorf's order to wipe away any intruders, but it no longer mattered to him.

Although he was disappointed he couldn't bring the hylian princess with him, he reminded himself that there was another "Hylia" waiting for him.

And so he went, resuming his previous mission to capture the spirit maiden.


End file.
